Raven, The

Theatrical Release: 4/24/2012

Reviewer: Scott Rolfe
Source: Theater
Writer: Ben Livingston & Hannah Shakespeare
Producer: Marc D. Evans
Director: James McTeigue
Genre: Suspense
Runtime: 111 min.
MPAA Rating: R
Starring: John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans

Synopsis:
The macabre and lurid tales of Edgar Allan Poe are vividly brought to life - and death - in this stylish, gothic thriller starring John Cusack as the infamous author.

When a madman begins committing horrific murders inspired by Poe's darkest works, a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans) joins forces with Poe in a quest to get inside the killer's mind in order to stop him from making every one of Poe's brutal stories a blood chilling reality.

A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, which escalates when Poe's love (Alice Eve, She's Out of My League) becomes the next target.

Dove Worldview:
Edgar Allan Poe wrote some fairly graphic short stories. However, it seems easier to read about blood spilling freely than it is to watch. This film is filled with graphic, bloody murders and unfortunately in today's cinema world, things are made for eventual conversion to 3D encouraging filmmakers to use as much gore as possible. The one good thing is that the story is so thin here that it appears the budget didn't allow them to complete the 3D work.

Someone is killing people in the same manner as written about by Poe and he is brought in by the police to help solve the crimes. It is quickly learned that Poe is being taunted by the murderer and always winds up one step behind. Again and again he arrives shortly after the crime or is forced to play out a scenario in which the crime still takes place. In the end, he is forced to play the crime out himself leaving little hope for the audience to work out the ending on their own. This graphic horror story is anything but a family experience. Our advice...go to the library and check out a book.

Content Chart & Description

Rating Descriptions

Sex: Man/woman kiss-2
Language: J-1; GD-1; C-2; D-3; S-1; F-1; B-3; H-2; SOB-1; G/OMG-2; Piss-1; Whore-3; For God Sakes-1
Violence: Gruesome and bloody corpses of women; Dead cat with bloody unborn kittens; Man sliced in half with floods of blood; Man dissects human heart and raccoon is seen eating parts of the heart; Man shot in leg; Woman buried alive in coffin; Bloody woman in a coffin; Severed human tongue; Corpse with mouth sown shut; Man's throat is slit and gushes blood;
Drugs: Man is said to be a drunkard and drinks multiple times; Man is said to be addicted to opium; Man drinks poison; Man smokes a cigarette.
Nudity: Cleavage
Other: None

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